International Journal of Health Sciences and Research www.ijhsr.org ISSN: 2249-9571 Case Report Congenital Megaureter in an Adult: A Rare Presentation R. G. Naniwadekar1, Akshay Pednekar2, Abhishek Mahna2, Mayank Vekariya2, Ritvij Patankar2, Sangeeta Biradar2, Vaibhav Gupta2 1Associate Professor, 2Resident, Department of General Surgery, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Karad, Maharashtra, India- 415110 Corresponding Author: Akshay Pednekar Received: 13/12/2014 Revised: 12/01/2015 Accepted: 14/01/2015 ABSTRACT Introduction: Congenital megaureter is a condition usually diagnosed in neonates and children; its primary presentation in adults is rare. Spontaneous resolution occurs in over half of all affected children, and this is hypothesized to occur as a result of the ureterovesical junction (UVJ) maturation and growth. When this condition does present in adults, it typically does so during the third or fourth decade, and unilateral disease, most often left-sided is more common than bilateral disease. Presentation of Case: A forty year old male patient presented with recurrent attacks of left ureteric colic since 6 months. On examination, abdomen was soft and non-tender. An ultrasound of the abdomen revealed grossly dilated left ureter with 5 mobile calculi each of approximately 1.5 centimetre size and left hydronephrosis. Plain radiograph of the abdomen revealed multiple calculi in the lower end of the left ureter. Intravenous pyelography study demonstrated dilated left ureter abruptly ending just proximal to the ureterovesical junction with 5 mobile calculi and a hydronephrotic left kidney. Patient was posted for surgery and a reduction left ureteroplasty with removal of the calculi and re-implantation of the ureter by Politano-Leadbettter technique with left sided DJ stenting was done. Postoperative period was uneventful and the patient was discharged in 7 days. Conclusion: Primary presentation of congenital megaureter in adults is rare. It is expected that leaving the underlying abnormality intact may pose the patient to the recurrent stone formation and persistence of symptoms. Keywords: Megaureter, Ureteroplasty, Politano-Leadbetter technique. INTRODUCTION and growth. [‎2–‎4] Diagnostic criteria include: Initially described by Caulk in 1923, dilated ureter, absence of vesicoureteral congenital megaureter is a condition usually reflux, absence of infravesical obstruction diagnosed in neonates and children; its and absence of distal ureteral obstruction. primary presentation in adults is rare. [‎5] When this condition does present in [‎1] Spontaneous resolution occurs in over adults, it typically does so during the third or half of all affected children, and this is fourth decade, and unilateral disease, most hypothesized to occur as a result of the often left-sided is more common than ureterovesical junction (UVJ) maturation bilateral disease. [‎6,‎7] International Journal of Health Sciences & Research (www.ijhsr.org) 424 Vol.5; Issue: 2; February 2015 PRESENTATION OF CASE A forty year old male patient presented with recurrent attacks of left sided flank pain since 6 months, colicky type and radiating to the groin. He had no complaints of fever, haematuria or burning micturition. He was a known hypertensive on medication for the same. On examination, abdomen was soft and non-tender. Urine examination revealed 3-4 RBCs and 2-3 WBCs /hpf. An ultrasound of the abdomen revealed grossly dilated left ureter with 5 mobile calculi each of approximately 1.5 centimetre (cm) in size Figure 2: IVP showing left dilated ureter with left and left hydronephrosis. Plain radiograph of hydronephrosis and multiple left lower ureteric calculi. the abdomen revealed multiple calculi in the lower end of the left ureter (Figure 1). Intravenous pyelography (IVP) study demonstrated dilated left ureter abruptly ending just proximal to the ureterovesical junction with 5 mobile calculi and a hydronephrotic left kidney (Figure 2). Patient was posted for surgery and a reduction left ureteroplasty with removal of the calculi and re-implantation of the ureter by Politano-Leadbettter technique with left sided DJ stenting was done. Postoperative period was uneventful and the patient was discharged in 7 days. An IVP done 9 months Figure 3: Postoperative IVP showing normal size of the ureter postoperatively revealed a normal sized left after reduction ureteroplasty with mild residual ureter with no calculi, mild residual left hydronephrosis and no reflux on straining (as shown by the hydronephrosis and no reflux on straining arrow). (Figure 3). DISCUSSION The current belief is that primary obstructive megaureter (POM) presents primarily in adults when the congenital abnormality does not cause symptoms or illness and is not seen via an imaging study performed in children. Spontaneous regression fails to occur, yet patients remain asymptomatic through childhood and into their adult years. Eventual symptoms that may occur include: urinary tract infections, renal parenchymal damage and recurrent stone formation. Figure 1: Plain radiograph of KUB region showing left lower ureteric calculi. International Journal of Health Sciences & Research (www.ijhsr.org) 425 Vol.5; Issue: 2; February 2015 They may be asymptomatic or and stenting, and percutaneous nephrostomy present with flank pain, recurrent urinary are non-invasive or less invasive techniques tract infection (UTI), and hematuria in the that sometimes are needed in the symptomatic situations. Pain is the most management of POM or POM related common presenting symptom. [‎8] In mild stones. [‎14] cases, there is a 2–3 cm fusiform lower Rosenblatt et al. [‎16] reported two ureteral dilation just proximal to the tapered cases of adult POM that presented with extravesical distal segment. [‎9] With urolithiasis. Due to small stone sizes, they increasing severity, the ureter dilates more just treated the stones without surgical repair proximally and involves the collecting of the underlying megaureter. system. In extreme cases, there is significant hydronephrosis, and loss of the renal CONCLUSION parenchyma leading to the impaired renal Based on the best of our knowledge function. The characteristic criteria for the primary presentation of congenital diagnosis of POM are; absence of megaureter in adults is a rare occurrence. vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), absence of Our case presented with multiple mobile obstruction in the infra-vesical area, and calculi with a dilated left ureter and gross absence of secondary causes of lower left hydronephrosis for which surgical ureteral obstruction. [‎10,‎11] The adult management was a must. It is expected that presentation of POM is in the third or fourth leaving the underlying abnormality intact decades of life, and unilateral involvement is may pose the patient to the recurrent stone more common than bilateral disease. The formation and persistence of symptoms. condition is usually seen in the left side with the male predominance. 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